Who Are You?
by faith-xx-love
Summary: AU!Victorian Era. She knew nothing about her parents. Right after she was born, a terrible fire engulfed her home and she lost everything. Everyone thought she was cursed, bringing forth God's wrath upon her family. Meet Marinette Bourgeois, an adopted child who was raised in isolation.
1. Prologue

**Full Summary : ****AU!Victorian Era. She knew nothing about her parents. Right after she was born, a terrible fire engulfed her home and she lost everything. Everyone thought she was cursed, bringing forth God's wrath upon her family. Meet Marinette Bourgeois, an adopted child who was raised in isolation. During the day, she was a polite, reserved young lady, but at night, she was a graceful dancer going by the name "Ladybug". However, that's not all, Miraculous was not just a dance troupe, it was a pack of elite spies working underground to uncover the identity of a secret organization threatening to bring ruin to France.**

 **Rated: T (Warning: Major Character Deaths)**

 **Beta-ed by the lovely varee.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

 _This was not what he wanted. He never asked for the deaths of the Dupain family. He could never…!_

" _No… No!" His knees gave away as he watched bright hot flames engulf the mansion._

 _Maids, butlers, chefs – servants of the households – were crying, holding each other on the grounds surrounding the building. Many got out unscathed. Some had minor burns and had soot covering their clothes and face. The others were less fortunate – they got out with flames covering their body and were rolling on the ground in pain. Women were running around, doing their best to help as many of the wounded as possible._

 _No matter how much the men tried to quench the fire with water and flame-retardants, nothing seemed to stop the fire from spreading._

 _He was kneeling on the ground and someone tugged on his clothes. His butler, maybe, yelling something, but he could not hear. His brain had already stopped functioning ever since he got out of the carriage._

" _No! Let me go!" A butler, a few feet ahead of him, yelled at another servant who seemed to be restraining him. His face was covered in blood and soot. "His and Her Grace are still in the master bedroom! Her Grace had just gone into labor an hour ago. You have to sav—"_

 _Suddenly, there was a loud crack and someone screamed for everyone to back away from the mansion. The right wing was starting to collapse._

 _Dust and smoke flew all around him and he coughed and covered his eyes. People were screaming. He felt hands going under his shoulders, pulling him up and away from the wreckage._

" _My Lord, please! We have to get away! It's too dangerous!"_

" _No, Rowen. Stop! Unhand me, right now!" He struggled against his butler's grip. "The Dupains – they're still in there!"_

 _His butler ignored the orders and continued to drag him to their carriage. Still struggling effortlessly, he twisted his head to look at the burning mansion and at that moment, he saw a window on the fifth floor shatter as someone jumped through, their arms wrapped protectively around a small lump. He let out a gasp as he watched the man turned his body mid-air and landed on the ground on his back. He did not move again._

 _Kicking the shin of his butler, he broke free of his grasp and ran towards the man._

 _It was Tom Dupain, his archrival. And in his arms was a baby. A daughter, crying and shrieking. Alive, unlike her father._

 _A purplish-black butterfly fluttered before him and landed on the baby's forehead. All of a sudden, terror overcame him as he recalled the letter he received earlier during the day; it had a purplish-black butterfly printed on it. Swatting the bug away from the child, he took her into his arms._

 _He vowed to keep her safe._


	2. A New Beginning

**Important Notes:**

 **It has been confirmed by Thomas Astruc that Chlo** **é's father's name is André Bourgeois and Alya's last name is C** **ésaire.**

 **Please keep in mind that because this is an AU fic, much of the characters' personalities and their family backgrounds are different from the show. I also have many original characters for this fic.**

 **Beta-ed by the lovely varee.**

* * *

 **A New Beginning**

* * *

"Ooooh! Someone's finally back from America!"

"Alya! It's so good to see you again!" Adrien walked into his friend's open arms, gave her a hug and pecked her cheeks. Pulling away, he turned to his other friend. "You, too, Nino. It's been _too_ long."

Nino grinned and held up his fist. Adrien answered it with a bump of his own fist. "Damn right. How many years was it? Ten?"

Adrien nodded. "Thought I could come back earlier but I was held up with Father's work in America. Mother will be back in a couple of weeks," He looked at them with affection in his eyes. "You have _no_ idea how much I missed the two of you."

"Alright, alright! Let's not get overly cheesy here! I'm just so glad that the trio's back again!" Alya squealed and pulled the two men together into a group hug. "But look! Never thought our little Adrien had grown into such a charming and handsome man! Nino and I have been following the news and we saw your photo on the front page many times! There must have been a lot of ladies trailing after you everywhere in America. I'm surprised you aren't married yet."

A blush painted across Adrien's cheeks as he chuckled and tightened his hold before letting his childhood friends go.

"Don't remind me of that, Alya," Adrien let out a defeated sigh. "My parents, especially my mother, have been piling folders and folders of potential marriage candidates on my desk ever since I turned eighteen two years ago. Attending socials and visiting ladies from distinguished houses in America made my head spin." He closed his eyes and rubbed the middle of his forehead with his knuckle for an added effect. "My parents are expecting me to do the same here, in France!"

"Wow! As expected of your mother!" Nino laughed. "So, answer Alya's question! Why aren't you married yet?"

Adrien opened his eyes and frowned at his friend's beaming faces. "It's just… not the time. My parents are worried for me but they don't want to pressure me into marrying someone I don't like. Marriage is a huge commitment. However, they're making me go on all these visits hoping that I'll find my lady soon."

Nino gave his shoulder a playful nudge. "Hey! Don't be so serious. We were just messing with you. We know how supportive your parents are."

Adrien rubbed the shoulder that Nino had nudged and gave him a pout. "Alright, my turn, then. What about the two of you? Anyone caught your eye?"

Nino and Alya looked at each other in the eyes, seemingly talking to each other telepathically. After a brief second, both broke into grins and Alya brought her left hand up in front of her with the back of her hand facing Adrien. revealing a round brilliant-cut diamond ring on her left ring finger, the band studded with smaller diamonds. It glistened beautifully as it reflected the lights of the chandelier in the drawing room.

Adrien's eyes went wide instantly as he stared at it, then he looked over to Nino who also had his left hand out, his gloves discarded. His was a simple ring, with small diamonds interspaced at regular intervals around the band. "Are they… the _same_ pair of rings?"

Alya nodded furiously with a big smile on her face while Nino snaked his arm around Alya's waist and pulled her closer.

"W-Wha—?! How?! When was this?! Why didn't one of you write about this in the letters? I didn't know the two of you were courting each other! Oh my goodness, _congratulations_!"

"We wanted to surprise you! " Alya beamed at him as she hugged her fiancé. "He called on me two years ago and we courted since then. I gave him my hand three months ago."

Adrien swore his face was numb by now. He had been smiling too much for one day. "I always knew you could do it, Nino! But you're such a traitor for not telling me this in your letters!"

Alya reacted immediately to Adrien's response. "Wait, what? You wrote about _me_ in your letters to Adrien? I _must_ see them!"

Nino's face flushed instantly. "N-No… I don't think that would be a good idea. There are things that are best left unseen, my dear."

Alya pouted and gave her fiancé a jab in the ribs. Nino had jerked to the side but he did not let go of her.

"Anyhow," Alya turned back to Adrien, her eyes softening. "We are so glad to have you back with us, safe and healthy. I could not forget what happened to you ten years ago."

* * *

Ten years ago, when Adrien was only ten, someone abducted him. No one knew who did it. He remembered being on a carriage on the way home from public school in the evening when he heard gunshots. He heard the horses shriek before his carriage wrenched to the side and overturned itself. His valet, Albert, who had been sitting beside him, automatically wrapped his arms protectively around him as the force knocked them against the sides of the carriage.

They ended up lying on the ceiling of their overturned carriage. His valet was moaning and when Adrien opened his eyes, he saw Albert's right arm, which was wrapped around him before, had twisted in a grotesque position. Adrien shut his eyes immediately and whimpered. He remembered vaguely of a hooded man opening the carriage door. It was too dark that day to notice any details of the hooded man except for his black cloak and the gun that he was holding. Aiming the nozzle at Albert, the man pulled the trigger. Adrien felt his valet jerk as the bullet went through his skull and blood splattered all over his clothes and face. He screamed and screamed until the hooded man procured a handkerchief and forcefully clamped it over his nose and mouth. He instantly felt drowsy as he inhaled its sweet smell.

The hooded man kept one of his hands pressing the material down firmly against Adrien's face, while lifting the boy out of the carriage. Adrien had tried clawing at his arm but his efforts were in vain; his strength was being sapped with every breath he took. Soon enough, he fell limp against his captor and fell asleep.

When he awoke, he was in a forest, laying on his side on cool, wet grass, with his hands and legs tied securely. A cloth was stuffed into his mouth. It was dark and his captor sat across from him, back against a boulder, his breathing even. He was sleeping.

Adrien blinked back his tears. Why is this happening to him? His throat was parched and the blood on his shirt and face had dried.

 _Blood._

 _Albert._

 _Albert's blood._

His body started convulsing violently as he remembered what happened earlier. The events played through his mind over and over again. Tears ran down his cheeks uncontrollably.

 _Father! Mother! Someone! Please, help me!_

Just then, he heard a light _thump_ somewhere behind him. His body went rigid and he held his breath and shut his eyes tightly although some tears still escaped. For a few seconds, he heard nothing but the sway of the trees and shrubs around him as a breeze passed by.

Something poked his cheeks lightly. Adrien contemplated not moving but there was another poke a few seconds after. He opened his eyes and his gaze met the knees of someone right in front of him. He looked up and saw…

 _Blue_. Electrifying blue eyes behind an intricately designed black-laced mask that seemed to glow in the darkness.

Because of the dark, Adrien could not make out the physique of the person in front of him but he could tell that this person was small. A child, just like him, covered in a hooded cloak. He felt their finger against his lips, the other on their own. He was asked to be quiet.

Adrien nodded slowly. The person turned around to make sure the captor was still asleep before hastily taking out a dagger from his or her boots and swiftly cutting the ropes on him. Not bothering with the cloth inside Adrien's mouth, the person looked up and down his body, probably checking for any injuries, then pulled Adrien up, supporting the boy when he swayed. Only then did Adrien realized his saviour was a girl. A very petite one. He was not able to think anymore after that as he still felt weak and they were both trying their hardest to stay silent as they walked slowly away from the site.

Adrien did not know which direction they were headed but something told him to trust this girl. His entire body ached and he was sure he had bruises everywhere. Still shaken by the abduction, the boy could do little but lean against the girl, with his nose nearly buried in her hair, the faint scent of lavender soothing his nerves. Amazingly, she did not say anything but continued to focus on choosing paths that they could safely trek on without any sound. They walked for what felt a long time before the girl finally deemed it safe to stop for a short break. Setting Adrien down on a rock, she took out a hip flask from a small pouch at her waist, opened it up and held it in front of him.

Adrien realized that he still had the cloth in his mouth. Did the girl leave it there because she knew he was still mentally unstable? Taking the cloth out, he worked his sore jaws. A few seconds later, he was crying all over again. A few sobs and hiccups escaped from him and he pushed his fist into his mouth to stifle them. He heard the hip flask lid snapped shut and felt warmth.

The girl was hugging him, left arm was on his back, right, cradling his head.

"I'm sorry," she said, her quiet voice sending tremors down his spine and he briefly wondered if she felt him shiver in her arms. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

He tried working his vocal chords but nothing came out. He had lost his voice. Burying his face in the girl's medium-length hair, he cried. Somehow, the lavender calmed him each time. He felt her giving him a squeeze before letting go. She held out the hip flask in front of him again. "Drink. You need it. That person had been feeding you drugs that knocked you out for a full day."

 _A full day?!_ Adrien suddenly became very aware of how dehydrated he was. His throat was burning and all that crying did not help with his condition. Taking the flask, he chugged it down quickly, wiping his mouth with his soiled sleeve when it became empty.

"Good," The girl said, retrieving her flask from him and depositing it back into her waist pouch. She fished out something that looked like a toffee from her pouch and promptly popped it into his mouth. He tasted coffee. "You need this too. Sorry, that's all I have on me."

She proceeded to help him up again. "Please, stay with me. We're almost at the rendezvous point."

He nodded but then he remembered his captor, his eyes went wide and he jerked his head to the direction they came from. His mouth opened and closed but no sound came out. After a while, the girl caught the hint, and hurried with assurances, "Don't worry. My friends should be taking care of him right now. Let's focus on getting to our destination."

They walked in silence, the girl adjusting him now and then, making sure that he did not collapse out of exhaustion. "Almost there," she said, her grip on him tightening.

Soon enough, someone dropped down from the trees above. The movement startled Adrien and he yelped before falling onto the ground. The girl knelt beside him immediately.

"Milady, I'm glad you and the young master are safe." A deep voice spoke.

Adrien squinted against the darkness to focus on the person who landed out of nowhere. _Milady?_ His brain could hardly process the information but he managed to turn his head to face the girl beside him. _Is she an aristocrat?_

"Thank you. Please, take him to the healer, and tell the Agrestes that he's safe."

"Understood, milady."

Strong hands came upon him and lifted him with ease. Adrien was utterly exhausted but he managed to throw his hand out and grabbed the girl's arm before they left. She looked at him in surprise, her blue eyes widening behind her laced mask.

Her eyes softened and she said in a very soft voice, "Farewell, Adrien Agreste. You'll be just fine."

She held his hand and gave it a squeeze. Finally, as complete exhaustion kicked in, his arm went limp.

The last thing he saw was the girl's blue eyes.

The next time he woke up, he found himself in his bedroom. The next few events were a blur; he was still drowsy from medications. He briefly remembered his parents and physicians buzzing around, checking his eyes, pulse, everything. His mother nearly fainted when one of the physicians told his parents that he lost his voice due to emotional trauma.

As he drifted in and out of consciousness, he overheard snippets of conversations and one of them was to send him to America to seek better medical attention – to help him overcome his emotional trauma and get his voice back – and also to keep him safe. He vaguely remembered Alya and Nino coming to visit him, his friends sitting on both sides of the bed, their tiny hands wrapped around his.

He was sent to America a few days later after the physician deemed he was healthy enough to leave the mansion. Alya and Nino had cried when they saw him off at the harbour and they promised to write.

Adrien had many nightmares, but the frequency had decreased soon after his parents found the best medical care for him.

However, those electrifying blue eyes had stayed vividly in his mind for years.

* * *

"Don't worry about me, Alya." Adrien gave her a smile. "I'm fine now, and as you can see, I can talk just fine!"

"Oh, you poor thing," Alya slipped out of Nino's arms and gave Adrien a long hug. "Paris is safe now, nothing will happen to you again."

"Let's hope it stays that way," Adrien replied, giving her shoulders a squeeze. "By the way, when is your wedding?"

"Still not decided yet! You'll be the first one to know when we set the date." Nino winked at him.

Just then, there was a knock on the door and someone opened the door to the drawing room. Someone with tousled, raven hair peeked into the room.

"Master? I have been standing outside for _hours_ and I'm _hungry_. Do you have any food?"

Alya released Adrien and blinked at him. "Who is he?"

Adrien chuckled. "Plagg, you glutton, come inside."

The door opened up farther, and a tall, slim, dark-skinned man walked in. He was dressed in a butler uniform but his hair said otherwise.

"Alya, Nino. This is Plagg, my valet and personal bodyguard."

Alya clucked her tongue disapprovingly at Plagg's unkempt hair. Nino's eyebrows shot up. "Your bodyguard, you say?"

"My parents want someone to protect me ever since that incident."

"Are you sure he can protect you? He's too skinny for this job." Alya commented, moving closer to Plagg. She scrutinized him with narrowed eyes and tapped her fan on his shoulder.

"Woah! Please be careful, milady. I have knives everywhere on my body. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt in this room, no?" Plagg jumped away from Alya and held his hands up in mock surrender.

Alya stared at him.

"It's true. He's deadly when fighting and he's a _huge_ glutton," Adrien gave a nonchalant shrug when Alya shot him a look. "Anyways, let's go to the dining room. I had the chefs prepare lunch for us."

* * *

"I know you just got back Adrien, but have you heard that Chloé Bourgeois will be having her débutante ball in two weeks?" Alya said, wiping her lips with her napkin and placing it on the table. Ever since lunch had started, she had been shooting disapproving looks at Plagg who had decided to seat with them and eat with his hands.

"How old is she again?" asked Nino.

"Nineteen."

"Wow, that's pretty late for a lady," Adrien said, bringing his hand up and signalling the butlers and maids to bring in desserts. "I have a bunch of invitations on my desk that I haven't got to reading yet. Her card is probably one of them."

"I have a feeling that she pushed back her débutante ball because of _you_ ," Alya scoffed. "She doesn't want anyone to be courting her except you."

Adrien did not know how to respond to that. A slice of strawberry shortcake on a ceramic plate was laid in front of him as the servants went around the table. Plagg was given a plate of his own.

"Anyway, that isn't the most important thing. The débutante ball isn't only for Lady Chloé," Alya held a pause to make sure that she got everyone's full attention. She paid no heed to Plagg who was munching noisily beside her. "My connections told me that the Duke has two daughters and both will be having their debut together on the same day."

"Duke Bourgeois has two daughters?!" Adrien and Nino chorused, genuinely surprised.

"Why didn't I hear of this?" Nino asked, placing his fork down on the table, cake forgotten. This was _big_ news.

"There were rumours of another lady living in the Bourgeois household for years now but no one knew who she is. Journalists weren't able to get a hold of the Duke because he was so busy. He had been avoiding answering questions from people during balls and socials too. But more recently, people had seen a young lady – not Chloé – strolling in the courtyard with the Duke himself. He even addressed her as 'my daughter'!" Alya said excitedly. "I think he will be making the announcement at the ball."

"What does she look like?" Adrien asked, very intrigued. He had known Chloé since he was eight and they had exchanged a few letters while he was in America, however, not once did Chloé mention anything about her sister.

"I haven't seen her personally but I heard she's half French, half oriental." When Adrien and Nino gave her puzzling looks, Alya added, "She was adopted, completely unrelated to the family. "

" _Adopted_? That is _extremely_ unusual for us, aristocrats." Nino frowned. Adrien held the title of a Duke. Nino was an Earl and Alya, a Countess. Aristocrats would normally engage in philanthropic activities by donating to orphanages, schools and church but adopting an unrelated child? Simply, unheard of.

"Agreed," Alya crossed her arms and looked at the two men critically. "As much as I hate going to socials with Chloé, I _must_ attend this ball because of the announcement and the two of you are coming with me."

* * *

"I knew this is a brilliant idea!" Alya exclaimed. She was so full of excitement that she was nearly bouncing on her seat in the carriage she shared with Adrien, Nino and Plagg. Adrien had instructed Plagg to make himself presentable today and he had ended up using tons of hair wax to keep his hair down. "I _knew_ Chloé would take up your invitation to have a luncheon at her place! She must have done everything to make sure her father approved of this."

Adrien groaned, burying his face in his hands. It had been a week since the gathering at Adrien's mansion and Alya already could not wait for the débutante ball. She had barged into his mansion one evening, demanding to see him, with Nino trailing behind her. She used to do that when they were little too. It was surprising that the servants of the household still obeyed her every command. When they met in the drawing room, she shoved a parchment and fountain pen into his hands and forced him to write a letter to Chloé saying that he wanted to congratulate her for her debut and would love to visit her for a small celebration before her ball. After he was finished with the letter – he swore that was the most awkward letter he had ever written – Alya had sent one of the servants in a hurry to send the letter and it was no surprise that Adrien received a letter the next morning saying that he was welcomed to visit the Bourgeois mansion any time.

"Do you think we'll get to see the other daughter?" Alya said, smiling from ear to ear.

Adrien peeked through his fingers to look at her. "Alya… Please…"

"Shush, Adrien! I know you want to know who she is too. I mean, we know that you're still in love with that saviour of yours ten years ago, but have you met her yet? _No_. Let's just have some fun at Chloé's place and hope we'll get to see the oriental! I heard she's a beauty."

Adrien blushed all the way to his neckline. He told his childhood friends about the girl who rescued him in his letters and how much he wanted to see her but he was so far away from France. He doubted she even remembered him after these years. He did not know her face, but he occasionally dreamt of blue eyes and black-laced masks. He wondered if his friends think he was childish, going after someone whom he liked since he was ten and knowing that he might not even meet her again.

Adrien wanted to counter back but the carriage had slowed down and went to a complete stop. They had reached the Bourgeois mansion.

* * *

"Welcome to my humble home, my distinguished guests. It is so great to have you back in France, Lord Adrien." Duke André Bourgeois said, tipping his hat. "Lord Nino and Countess Césaire, congratulations on your engagement."

"Thank you so much for accepting the invitation at such a short notice, Lord Bourgeois," Adrien tipped his hat in return. Alya curtsied beside him and Nino bowed while saying their thanks.

"It's no trouble, Lord Adrien. My daughter, Chloé, was thrilled to have received a letter from you."

Adrien smiled and glanced around the entrance hall. "Pardon me but may I ask where would Lady Bourgeois be?"

"I apologize for not having her receive you at the door, Lord Adrien, she is still in her room. Here, let me lead you to the garden, I had the servants prepare tables and chairs for us. Chloé would be meeting us there for lunch."

As the four of them proceeded along the corridor, someone called from the stairs to their right.

"Father? Do you have a moment? I would like to speak with you. I have a concern abo—"

All heads swivelled to rest upon a lady upon the stairs. Alya let out an excited gasp. Nino had taken off his glasses, wiped it with a hankie and put it back on, and gaped with his mouth open. The world stopped for Adrien. Beside him, Plagg gave a low whistle and Alya responded by elbowing Plagg in the gut.

The lady looked at all the faces in the group, her eyes resting on Adrien for a slightly longer time than the rest. Brilliant blue bore into his green and he felt his heart thumping faster. _T-Those eyes…?!_ She blinked and curtsied, so poised and perfect that Adrien was sure Alya would approve of her manners. She walked down the stairs to meet the group.

"I sincerely apologize, Father. I did not know you have guests."

"It's alright, my daughter. We can't hide you from society any longer. Guests, this is my other daughter, Marinette."

Marinette was a very beautiful lady. She had long raven hair, so dark that it looked blue under the light. Her hair was curled and flowed in natural waves and she had pulled some of her hair into a small elegant bun and secured it with a flower crystal hairpin. She also wore very little makeup; light blush on her cheeks and lips tinged pink. She looked very lovely in her simple blue dress. Just as Alya had said, she looked oriental with her Chinese doll face but spoke French perfectly.

Adrien had not realized that he was staring at Marinette until Alya poked him in the ribs. "Adrien! It's your turn! Introduce yourself!" She hissed under her breath. He caught the evil glint in her eye and scolded himself for letting his guard down. Alya would be interrogating him for his behaviour later.

"A-A-Adrien! I'm Adrien Agreste. It's very nice to meet you."

Marinette smiled at him and he felt himself melting under her gaze.

* * *

"You were so smitten, Adrien. Your face was red the entire time," Alya teased, tapping her fan against his shoulder. "Told you that she was a beautiful girl! And intelligent too!"

Adrien swatted the fan away from him. "Alright, alright! I don't want you to start putting words in my mouth so let me just say this first: I enjoyed the luncheon today thoroughly, now, let me have a peace of mind!"

Alya cheered loudly, all manners forgotten, and her fiancé grinned beside her.

It was late afternoon when they decided to leave the Bourgeois household. Marinette had joined them for lunch at the very last minute because Duke Bourgeois insisted. Alya had taken a liking to the girl immediately and ushered her to sit beside Adrien on the round table and took the spot next to her, conversing the whole time. When Chloé arrived several minutes later, she was appalled that Marinette was present at the table but quickly composed herself when her father explained the situation. She sat on the other empty spot next to Adrien for the entire lunch.

Conversations were light-hearted and Marinette only spoke when she was spoken to. Duke Bourgeois had dodged questions regarding Marinette's adoption whenever Alya tried to ask and he had told her to wait till the debut that was coming up in a week. Adrien had found himself glancing to Marinette every once in a while but mostly he was conversed with Chloé who kept talking to him.

"She has the same eyes as her." Adrien blurted out, his face turning redder. "That's why I kept looking at her."

Alya stopped cheering and leaned forward in her seat, a sly smile appeared on her face. "Same eyes as your saviour?"

" _Please_ don't make me repeat myself…" Adrien sighed exasperatedly, turning his face away from Alya, afraid that his expressions may give away his emotions. "I don't know if she's the same person. I'm not going to jump to conclusions."

"Ooooh, Lady Alya, I think it's time for you to report to Lady Agreste that her son's heart is finally beating for someone. I've never seen his face _this_ red before." Plagg chimed in and was about to say more when Adrien shot him a look that made him clamp his mouth shut.

Alya giggled. "The débutante ball is going to be a blast!"

* * *

Soon, the day of Chloé's and Marinette's débutante ball came and once again, Adrien, Alya, Nino and Plagg found themselves at the entrance hall leading to the ballroom at the Bourgeois household. They were there early simply because Alya could not wait to see Marinette again.

All four of them were wearing black or white as per the dress code that Chloé had requested; only the two Bourgeois daughters will be wearing of a different color than the rest. Alya had outdone herself by ordering a black dress with white lace trimmings and ribbons, and she had pulled her hair back into an elegant Gibson tuck. Gentlemen like Adrien and Nino never really bothered with appearances because balls and socials such as these were meant to make ladies shine.

"Alright, I'm going to walk around the place. It's still an hour early so I'll meet you here when the ball starts," Adrien said, looking at his watch. He could tell Alya and Nino wanted some time alone. Waving at them, he walked towards the garden, Plagg following closely behind him.

* * *

It did not take long for him to get lost in the labyrinth of rose bushes. "Plagg… Do you remember the way back?"

"No, sir. I was just following you."

"I thought you were trained for this!" Adrien panicked, he looked at his watch and saw that there was still twenty minutes to the start of the ball.

"Relax! I was just kidding. It's this way."

"Keep this up and I'll decrease your wages."

"Yes, sir. I mean, _no_. I won't do it again."

Adrien nodded triumphantly and followed.

* * *

"Oh no. I'm going to be late for the ball!" Marinette silently cursed herself as she walked briskly on the streets. She had snuck out during the day, wearing a set of aristocratic male clothing – dress shirt, pants, tailcoat, and a top hat to cover her long hair which was held securely with many pins – for a rehearsal. She was part of _Miraculous_ , a dance troupe that had rose to fame over the years. None of her family or household servants knew about this except for her maidservant and bodyguard in one, Tikki.

Marinette had been adopted into the Bourgeois family ever since she was born and was raised in isolation. Under no circumstances was she was allowed to leave the household. Many times she asked her stepfather why but her father would always repeat the same thing over and over again – "It's to keep you safe, Marinette.".

Although she was initially home-schooled along with her sister, Chloé, who was a year older than her, they were soon separated when the teacher realized how fast Marinette was learning. Chloé despised being compared to Marinette.

Being kept at home for the first few years of life had made her extremely – if quietly – rebellious. Being a curious and intelligent child, she frequently snuck out of her room to explore every nook and cranny of the mansion. She learned to pick locks, which had expanded the number of places she could explore. One particular day, she found a hidden, small opening in the wall behind a wooden panel in the basement and squeezed inside. The narrow corridor was filled with dust and cobwebs and ended with a heavy wooden door at the very end.

Curiously, she picked the lock like it was her second nature and walked through.

The day Marinette discovered the room was also the same day that everyone in the Bourgeois mansion was in a state of panic and chaos, as they could not find her anywhere. The hidden chamber was filled with things belonging to her biological parents; there were not many. She had found and read her stepfather's note on the terrible fire that had destroyed her home and everything in the room were all they could scavenge from the Dupain mansion.

It was also the very same day that she put the pieces together about why her family was targeted and learned about the real identity of _Miraculous_ ,a dance troupe that her mother was part of, from the hints her mother, Sabine Dupain-Cheng, had left in her diary. She had cried her eyes out at the revelation and had to wait till she calmed herself down and that her eyes were not swollen anymore to leave the room.

It had taken a lot of effort to sneak back to her room because servants of the household were looking _everywhere_. When the head butler finally found her in her room, she was immediately escorted to her father. Instead of screaming and scolding her, he had held her tightly in his arms, one of his hands stroking her hair and he kept repeating, "Thank the Gods that you're safe!"

Marinette had cried along with her father. Chloé, she remembered, had stood awkwardly on the side with a puzzled look on her face. A few days later, André Bourgeois hired Tikki, a personal attendant and bodyguard to Marinette.

Marinette was shocked to learn that Tikki, a girl who was only two years older, was a bodyguard. Fighting was extremely un-ladylike in society and ladies should be forbidden to learn anything violent but Tikki was an excellent actress. She was the best attendant anyone could ask for and nobody knew what she had hidden underneath her maidservant uniform – who would suspect anything from a very beautiful girl with long red hair, always tied in a bun and pale skin? She followed Marinette everywhere and reported every single thing she did to her father. Though Marinette appreciated the efforts her father made to protect her, she felt annoyed at the inconvenience; she had to find a way to leave the house to look for _Miraculous_.

It took a long time to earn Tikki's trust; Marinete had taken the risk and confided everything to her and Tikki had cried genuine tears and mourned for her ward's parents. Although the redhead still reported many things to André Bourgeois, there were also many other things she left out. They snuck out every single night to search for _Miraculous_ and it did not take long for them to locate one of the members – or rather, it did not take long for _Miraculous_ to locate Marinette.

Marinette was seven and Tikki was nine when they joined _Miraculous_.

 _I hope Tikki is still waiting for me on the other side of the wall_. Marinette picked up her pace when she saw the Bourgeois mansion. The house was in the middle of a big plot of land with a four-metre tall brick wall surrounding the grounds. Because Marinette was forbidden to leave for the past eighteen years of her life, both Marinette and Tikki had developed a means to communicate when they were on opposite sides of the wall. They decided on a whistle of a particular tune to indicate their positions.

Marinette avoided the front gate where many carriages were currently lining up and headed towards the forest, to the east. She broke into a run when she was deep in the woods. She came to a stop and gathered her breath at the location she would usually signal Tikki on the other side of the wall.

Looking around and searching the perimeter for any signs of people, she waited for a few seconds. There were no sounds except for the wind and her own breathing.

She whistled.

* * *

"Please wait, master. Someone's there." Plagg held his arm out and stopped Adrien in his tracks. He stooped low and Adrien did the same.

Adrien squinted his eyes and looked over the flower bush. He saw a maid with bright red hair standing near the brick wall. "It's just a servant, Plagg."

"Master, all the maids and butlers should be busy at the mansion helping out with the ball. The only other servants out here should be the guards. This servant is suspicious."

Adrien thought over Plagg's words and said, "Alright, let's approach her. Be ready."

Plagg nodded, his right hand going into his coat where his stash of dining knives was. They stood up straight and walked quietly to the servant.

Suddenly, both of them heard a bird's whistle – no, a _human_ whistle, Plagg thought, as it sounded a little unnatural – and they exchanged knowing looks. They quickly hid behind a rose bush as the servant turned and looked around for a few seconds before whistling back the same tune.

 _This is definitely suspicious_. Adrien thought. He signalled Plagg with his fingers and they both jumped over the bush and ran towards servant. The servant was clearly startled as she whirled around to the direction of the noise. Before Adrien could even open his mouth to call upon the servant, someone scaled the four-metre brick wall.

* * *

Marinette heard Tikki whistle back. Standing up from her position, she gave her legs and arms a good stretch. With her left hand securing the top hat on her head, she backed up a few steps and sprinted towards and up a few steps on a sturdy tree next to the wall. Using the momentum, she flipped herself over the top.

She landed on the soft ground gracefully and got up, dusting her pants. Looking up, she immediately froze when not one but three pairs of eyes stared back at her. She was expecting only Tikki to receive her, but she did _not_ expect Lord Adrien and his valet to be there too.

 _Curses_.


End file.
